Compare towns
Calais vs Stratham vs Dummerston vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most renters (7.6% rent).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Calais | Stratham | Dummerston | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
7,754Highest |
2,090 |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 111% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #43 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.